Another lockdown could send everything downhill

Are we headed for yet another lockdown The question is very easy to ask but it is difficult to evoke a straight answer If the active cases of COVID19 continue to grow at the current speed the state government has threatened to impose restrictions like last year But having complete lockdown yet again would mean a disaster for us the common people and ultimately the government In fact strict measures have been taken in certain parts of Maharashtra where not all are happy with the actionPolitical parties including some in the government have opposed the lockdownlike restrictions The measures have been lifted in some places while others will face them from this week despite local opposition In Mumbai the warning bells have been sounded by none other than Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who clearly doesnrsquot want to get harsher because the economy has just started recoveringHaving commercial activities stalled again will take us back to distress The current situation is that the statersquos golden quadrangular the most commercialised and industrialised region spanning the areas of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Pune Nashik and Aurangabad has again shown a worrisome spike in the active cases In the rest of the state where some economic activities though not at par with the golden quadrangular take place the infection is risingSharing the blameAs far as active cases are concerned Maharashtra tops the countryrsquos chart About a dozen of the statersquos districts swell the numbers daily The reasons for the new spike could be attributed together to the people and the state machinery because both relaxed when the active cases dipped The machinery especially the frontline units was tired The administrators who plan and execute at the local level had to manage nonCOVID things like gram panchayat elections once the pandemic looked like it was under control Much liberated and carefree the people took undue advantage of the restricted unlock measures Social and political gatherings weddings rallies and protests happened with the COVID19 protocol shown the dustbin In Mumbai physical distancing went for a toss and the city showed an unusual trend of the active cases rising in the highrises where middle and upper middle class had been protecting themselves in the first wave The cityrsquos slums which bore the brunt last year havenrsquot shown intense COVID activity in the past fortnight which showed a sharp spike elsewhere such as in Mumbai and in the rest of Maharashtrarsquos urban pockets What does it indicate Is our educated lot faltering and defeating the very purpose of pandemic mitigationForging test reportsThere could be no serious crime like forging the COVID19 test reports in the time of the highly infectious virus While some people have been caught for procuring a negative report to facilitate air travel some have been forging the old reports using a software to correct the date suited for travelThe erring laboratories have been caught for aiding people who pay for the false reports Vigilance needs to be intensified to catch the individuals who are risking their and the lives of many others The time isnrsquot far when the interstate and interdistrict borders are activated again for the passengersrsquo scrutiny Any further laxity may cost the state much more If procuring a negative report didnrsquot suffice some rackets have been alleged in making money by giving a positive reportSuch instances were reported in Amravati where a nexus between the tested individuals insurance agents and the hospitals was reported to have shared the insurance booty between themLet vaccination be boonThere is a mindset that there is nothing to worry about the novel Coronavirus because the vaccination has started Itrsquos a bane that accompanies a boon Medical experts have advised against breaking preventive protocol even after getting the jabIt is good to see that the vaccination drive has picked up with people shedding doubts over the brands available Participation of private hospitals does not financially burden the people who can afford to pay a reasonable amount for itHowever in the current phase in which senior citizens along with people above 45 years with comorbidities are also vaccinated experts need to clarify whether flouting the comorbidity norm could have any side effects on the person who produces a medical certificate to prove she suffers from an ailment listed in the guidelinesDharmendra Jore is political editor midday He tweets dharmendrajore Send your feedback to mailbagmiddaycom